Resources & Recommendations

There are many ways to purchase essential oils, including from a distributor (usually an MLM), directly from the company online, or from Amazon.

The purpose of this page is not to outline the pros and cons of each, but rather to share with you some of the products that I use myself when creating DIY wellness, skincare, and household products using essential oils.

Essential Oils

Plant Therapy: Since the beginning of 2019, I have been experimenting with Plant Therapy oils in all of my custom salves and essential oil concoctions. I am more than a little bit satisfied. I am ecstatic over the quality of the oils, the policies of the company (free shipping and returns always), the individual oil test results on their site, and more. Plant Therapy is now one of my preferred brands. They can be purchased directly on their website or on Amazon.com. You will not be disappointed.

NOW Foods Essential Oils: More and more, I have grown to trust essential oils from NOW Foods. They are budget-friendly and come in large bottles so you can afford to use larger amounts. Try their Tea Tree oil or Natures Shield Protective Blend in your cleaning products.

Spark Naturals Amazon Store: Spark Naturals is still one of my preferred brands. Although you may pay a small amount more, you can purchase most Spark Naturals products at their Amazon store.

CBD Oil

CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis–Healing without the High: If you only get one book on CBD, consider this one. Most of the low-cost or free eBooks on Amazon are useless. This book, by Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum, and Michael H. Moskowitz is not cheap and not free. I am still working through it and recommend that you make this book a part of your self-care library. From the description on Amazon:

This practical, accessible guide to using CBD-dominant cannabis contains a wealth of information for both first-time explorers and experienced patients who want to know more about safely treating a number of health conditions with remarkable results and low to no psychoactivity or negative side effects. CBD (cannabidiol) is a component of cannabis that can provide relief for conditions such as seizures, pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, arthritis, and a number of other issues. This book offers guidance on various forms of the medicine such as oil infusions, alcohol-based tinctures, capsules, and CO2 concentrated extracts. The information is organized by health condition and also by recommended CBD-rich strains, which do not produce the “highs” associated with THC. With dosage suggestions, potential side effects and contraindications, and the pharmacology of the plant, this is an essential guide for both doctors and patients looking for a nontoxic alternative to opiate-based pain medications and other pharmaceuticals.a number of health conditions with remarkable results and low to no psychoactivity or negative side effects.

OrganicaNaturals: This company specializes in tinctures for both humans and pets, including a zero-THC option. Their cannabis plants are from Colorado and California, where they grow outdoors under natural sunlight using organic and sustainable farming practices. The plants are non-GMO and pesticide-free. All products are third-party tested and shipping is always free. Get a 20% discount when using code “gayelevy” at checkout.

Books

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: This book, by Valerie Warwood, is my essential oil bible. I purchased the first version in the late eighties and have never looked back. Highly recommended for your home remedy and first aid library.

The Survival Medicine Handbook: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way: This book by Joe and Amy Alton book teach how to deal with all the likely medical issues you will face in a disaster situation, including strategies to keep your family healthy even in the worse scenarios. It covers skills such as performing a physical exam, transporting the injured patient, and even how to suture a wound. This medical reference belongs in every survival library and is an excellent reference during good times and bad.

Diffusers

Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser by AromaSoft: As with many of the products I promote, this diffuser is not going to be the cheapest on the block, although $20 is not bad especially when I used to pay $60 or more for a diffuser. This BPA-free diffuser puts out a strong mist that can fill a room. All that in spite of its size. Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Carrier Oils

Fractionated Coconut Oil: FCO, as it is called, is liquefied coconut oil. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated with heat so that it does not solidify at cooler temperatures. It is for external use only. My preferred brand is Plant Therapy.

Shea Butter: This is the brand I use and it has never disappointed. Others have told me that their shea butter tends to produce a grainy body butter but that has never happened to me. This brand is creamy and does not smell. Yes, some brands of shea butter do stink. You will have to trust me on this one.

Organic Coconut Oil: Any high-quality coconut oil will work. I prefer organic coconut oil and use the same product in the kitchen as I do in my salves and body butter. Costco also has some great prices on their Kirkland Brand coconut oil.

Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel: There are a number of good brands of witch hazel, including Thayers and Spark Naturals. Just be sure that what you are getting is alcohol-free and does not include fillers, parabens, or propylene glycol. This is the one I prefer. I especially like that it does not smell medicinal.

Jars, Bottles, Sprayers, and other DIY Accessories

Ointment Jars: Over the years, I have used both plastic and glass ointment jars. For individual salves, I recently found these amber glass jars and now I use these exclusively. If you prefer plastic, I often use smaller 1/2 ounce and 1-ounce jars that I purchase in bulk for very little money from Amazon.

Dropper Bottles: As with my preferred ointment jars, I recently discovered these 15ml amber dropper bottles made by Vivaplex. There was no looking back. These are leakproof and budget-friendly.

1-Ounce Spray Bottles: These smaller spray bottles are the bomb! Each holds 1 ounce or 30 ml. They are perfect for making up a natural hand sanitizer spray as well as for skin care toners and even DIY household cleaners. One thing I like about these small spray bottles is that I can put them in drawers around the house so they are handy. By now you know how much I hate cluttered counters; these are the perfect solution to that dilemma.

2-Ounce Cobalt Blue Spray Bottles: These are the bottles I prefer for when I want to make up a larger quantity. I have repeatedly ordered these and have never had a leaker or a defective sprayer. Win-win.

10ml Roller Ball Bottles: I go through a lot of roller balls so when I need more, I purchase a large quantity. Vivaplex is one of my favorite brands for jars and bottles. This is a link for 6 roller ball bottles and here is a link for 24. Whatever you chose, be sure to select a dark-colored bottle to protect your precious oils from light.

Essential Oil and Roller Ball Opener: Where have these been my entire EO life? This recent purchase has made using essential oils so much easier. Instead of prying off the orifice style droppers with my nails, I now use this nifty tool to get the job done. Ditto the tops of roller ball bottles. Well worth the $5 or $6 cost.

Glass Liquid Droppers: It was only recently that I discovered the value of droppers that have measurements on the side. What this means is that instead of dropping oils into my blend one drop at a time, I can now, for example, use the markings on a dropper to measure 1 ml of each oil I am using in a 50/50 blend. I just did this yesterday with lavender and cedarwood, a calming diffuser blend that I frequently use when I need to relax. You will love these glass droppers and of course, they can be used over and over again.

Foaming Soap Dispenser: I have owned these foaming soap dispensers for years and have never had a fail. I simply can not fathom why someone would not want to make a one-time purchase of a “foamer”, as they are called so that they can be refilled over and over again.

Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap: Although Dr. Bronner’s soaps come in a mind-boggling array of scents, I usually purchase the unscented so that I can add EOs myself, depending on what I am trying to accomplish. That said, a peek in my cupboard will include Tea Tree, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lavender, and Rose Hemp Castile soaps. You might say that I am a Dr. Bronner’s addict. Not convinced? Here is a cheat sheet describing many of the various ways you can use this versatile soap: http://www.lisabronner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Dilutions-Cheat-Sheet.pdf.

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